Gate.



,PATE'NTED' JULY 14,1908. R. M. 00X.

GATE.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. e, 1908'.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

9/01?" maes- .No. 893,449. I PATENTED JULY 14, 1908. R. M. COX.

' GATE. APPLIOATION FILED MAR. e, 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT M. OOX, OF PRAIRIE CITY, ILLINOIS.

GATE

To all whom it may concern:

Be .it known that I, ROBERT M. COX, a citizen of the United States, residing at Prairie City, in the county of McDonough and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to gates, and has for its object to provide an improved tilting gate characterized by a novel construction with respect to the means for operating the gate by means of counter balances which enable the gate to be readily and easily opened or closed.

A further object of the invention is to provide suitable mechanical devices for opening and closing the gate without stopping or dismounting in passing the gate with a wagon or other Vehicle.

The invention has various minor advantages and improvements as will more fully appear from the following description and the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the gate closed. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the gate open. Fig. 3 is an end elevation with the gate open. Fig. 4 is an elevation showing means for operating the gate by the wheel of a vehicle. Fig. 5 is a detail of an overbalancing weight, and the means for operating the same. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 4.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the tilting gate frame is indicated at 6, and this may in general be of any ordinary or suitable construction of the type specially known as farm gates. At one end of this gate is a fixed or stationary frame which includes a pair of upright posts 7, between which the gate swings, a pair of uprights 8 at the rear, and suitable connecting bars and braces 9, forming a double frame into which the gate 6 swings when it is open. This frame stands on cross sills 10 which are fixed to the ground in any suitable manner, as by stakes 11, and which have braces 12 sup porting the standards 7. The gate frame is pivoted between the bottom of the standards 7, at its lower inner corner, as indicated at 13,'and it has a spring latch 14 which engages a suitable keeper in a post 15 at the front end of the gate. It also has a weight 16 at its upper rear corner, and crossed diag- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 6, 1908.

Patented July 14, 1908.

Serial No. 419,413.

the opposite end of which is connected to the gate at the intersection of the braces 17 by means of a pivot bolt 20. WVhen the 1 gate is tilted the weight 19 will swing back and forth, and when the gate is closed the tendency of the weight is to swing it open, and vice versa; but this tendency or force is insufiicient to operate the gate without manual assistance.

In order to overbalance the gate and to prevent the weight 19 from operating the same, except when desired, I provide a shifting or swinging weight 21, the weight of which should be equal to that of all the other parts of the gate, excluding the counterbalance 19. By means to be described this weight 21 swings to one side or the other of the center as the gate is tilted, and so acts to hold the gate in either open or closed position, against the tendency or pressure of the weight 19. Said weight 21 is carried at one end of a lever 22 which is fulcrumed on the bolt 20 and which has at the other end a yoke 23 which embraces loosely a link 24 which is pivoted at one end to the bolt 20 and at the other end to another link 25 which is connected by a pivot 26 to one of the posts 7, said pivot extending through a slot 27 in the link to allow a certain amount of lost motion, which is also permitted by the loose engagement at the yoke 23. The effect of the main or pendulum weight 19 is to open or close the gate by pulling or pushing on the pitman bar 19*, and it also prevents the gate from dropping too hard as it tilts over. When the gate is tilted, by means to be described, the swing thereof, in connection with the link 24, causes the weighted lever 22 to swing, and just as the center of gravity of the gate passes above its center of oscillation the lever 22 swings forward or over beyond said center, in advance of the center of gravity of the gate, or, in effect, shifts said center of gravity forwardly in the direction of motion of the gate, and so overbalances the tendency of the weight 19 which at that in-.

the weight 21 at the proper time to produce the result indicated.

To operate the gate by hand ropes 28 are provided which extend over posts 29 located at a distance on o posite sides of the gate in a position accessib e to a person in a vehicle, and extending thence over pulleys 30 at the top of the posts 7 are connected at 31 to a rope 32 which extends through guide eyes 33 on the top bar of the gate and is connected to the latch 14. When either rope is pulled the effect is to first release the latch and then to pull on the gate to tilt the same.

For operation by the wheel of a vehicle, the optional arrangement shown in Fig. 4 is provided. This consists of a treadbar 34 pivoted at 35 to a block in the ground and arranged to swing laterally. The tread bar is connected at its other end to a lever 36 which is pivoted at 37 to the bottom of a post 29 located beside the road, and the upper end of the lever 36 is connected to the rope 28 leading to the gate. It will be understood that this arrangement is duplicated on opposite sides of the gate. The connection between the tread bar 34 and the lever 36 is a pivotal one, so that said lever can swing laterally with respect to the post 29 in either direction, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4, so that the device can be operated by a vehicle from either direction. When a wheel of the vehicle strikes the tread bar the effect is to throw the lever 36 down on one side or the other, thus pulling on the rope 28 and either opening or closing the gate.

' Theconstruction as a whole provides an easily operating tilting gate which will be found very desirable for use on farms and elsewhere.

I claim:

1. A tilting gate pivoted at one end, in combination with a swinging weight beside said end, a pendulum bar pivoted at its upper end to a support and at its lower end to the weight, and a connecting pitman between the gate and the weight.

2. A tilting gate pivoted at one end, in combination with a swinging weight supported. beside said end, and a connecting pitman between the gate and the weight, and an overbalancing weight carried by the gate and provided with means to shift the same forwardly with respect to the direction of tilt of the gate, as the latter swings beyond center.

3. A tilting gate pivoted at one end, in combination with a swinging weight supported beside said end, and a connecting pitman between the gate and the weight, and means to overbalance the gate comprising a weighted lever fulcrumed thereon, and a link connected to the lever and to a post heside the gate, and acting when the gate is tilted to swing the lever and throw the weight beyond center as the gate swings over the same.

4. The combination with a tilting gate and means tending to swing the same in either direction according to whether the gate is open or closed, of a lever fulcrumed on the gate and having a weight at one end and a yoke at the other, a post beside the gate, and a pair of links pivoted together, one link being also pivoted to the post and the other being pivoted to the lever and extending between the branches of the yoke, for the pur pose stated.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, in presence of two witnesses. I

ROBERT M. COX.

Witnesses:

Rosco B. BIVENs, EDWARD L. BARNEs. 

